Kotaku: Metreon

My Shin-Ra Electric Power Company ID Card

fdemarco — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:40:00 MDT

As you might have read earlier, I attended last night's launch of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII at Sony's Metreon Center in SF. While the lucky first hundred people got t-shirts, and some even won some great raffle prizes, anyone was allowed to go up and get their complimentary Shin-Ra Electric Power Company ID card. Being firmly in the "anyone" crowd, I stepped up to claim what will sure to be a valuable money maker on eBay some day. They snapped a quick photo and then we got to wait about twenty minutes while the thing processed and Voila... we were presented with our nifty prize in a little labeled envelope. As you can tell from my photo, I am an employee not to be trifled with.

Launch Parties From Coast to Coast

fdemarco — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:00:00 MDT

Tomorrow (Wed.) will see the Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword launch party at the Nintendo World Store in New York City from 2pm - 6pm. The game's producer and director Yosuke Hayashi will be on hand to sign autographs and met and greet the crowd. If you purchase the game there you will be granted one of those nifty Dragon Sword Ninja styli. There will also be demo stations set up around the store so you can try before you buy.

Also, as I reported last week, tonight is the launch party for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII at the Sony Metreon Center in San Francisco. The event goes from 6pm - 9pm and space is limited to 200 people.

And if that's not enough for you, our own Crecente will be attending and telling you all about his adventures at the Tecmo event in New York. Launch events, ho!

Square Hosts Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII Launch Event

fdemarco — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:00:00 MDT

For all you San Francisco Bay Area Final Fantasy fans out there, Square Enix will be holding a Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII launch party at the Sony Metreon Center. The event will take place next Tuesday, March 25 from 6:00PM - 9:00PM and will celebrate the history of Final Fantasy VII as well as the launch of Crisis Core. The first 100 people in line will get a commemorative T-shirt as well as be eligible for some raffle prizes. Shinra company ID cards will also be made at the event that will sport your name and photograph. Only 200 people will be allowed to attend so be sure to get there early!

Your PSP Has Been Encased In Carbonite!

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:40:07 MDT

Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron hits next week for the PSP, exclusively, right alongside the Star Wars Battlefront Entertainment Pack bundle. That's the one that comes with a Darth Vader portrait screened on the back of a white PSP Slim. To celebrate the release of the game, Sony is hosting a launch party with Lucasarts at PlayStation Store at the Metreon in San Francisco, bringing with them the usual bunch of Star Wars cosplayers, prizes, fireworks, dancing bears, etcetera.

The reason you might actually want to show up? They're giving away Han Solo-trapped-in-carbonite PSP cases to the first 200 folks who buy the aforementioned Entertainment Pack. You'll look at it, your PSP encased in Han encased in carbonite and say "I love you." It will respond "I know." I... I'm tearing up a little bit.

More details and a full-sized pics at the official PlayStation blog.

Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron Update [PlayStation.blog]

Final Fantasy Celebrates 20 Years

fdemarco — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 16:00:00 MDT

If you're a Final Fantasy fan and reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, your dreams of going to a party celebrating the 20th anniversary of the long running franchise have just come true.

On June 26, Square Enix will be throwing a shindig at the Sony Playstation Store at the Metreon Center at 101 4th Street in downtown San Francisco to commemorate the occasion of twenty years of magic, mayhem and androgynous male characters. Party goers will get the chance to purchase the Final Fantasy I revamped for the PSP as well as getting a glimpse of the new FF II remake (also on the PSP). As an added bonus, the first hundred people through the door will receive exclusive FF merchandise. If you're one of those lucky hundred, be sure to snap pictures of this exclusive merchandise so we can post it here and make you the envy of every FF fan in the world (minus ninety-nine). Flynn De Marco

PC Gamer Convert PS3 Hopeful To PC's For Life

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:40:00 MST

What would you rather have: a $600 PlayStation 3 that you camped out some 40-odd hours for or a $7500 PC gaming rig?

That's the question PC Gamer posed to the PS3 campers at the Sony Metreon in San Francisco. Turns out, when presented with the option, lots of folks will go with the PC. Sure, it may be a complete eyesore, but this top of the line beast from Falcon Northwest with an included 30" LCD monitor probably kicks some serious ass.

The lucky convert, Neil, is now contractually obligated to PC Gamer to never own a PlayStation 3. That's right, he's PC (maybe Wii, maybe Xbox 360) for life! Michael McWhertor

One less Playstation 3 on the market, one more PC gamer joins the team [PC Gamer]

Sony Dumps Metreon, Keeps PlayStation Experience

Michael McWhertor — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 15:15:51 MST

If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to make it to the Metreon. Or don't. It was never that great anyway, and now Sony is selling it off to a mall developer and real estate group. The "urban entertainment destination" will still house Sony's Playstation store and Sony Style store, but look for other tenants to vacate the premises soon.

I was at the Metreon this past fall to visit the PlayStation store and walked away disappointed. Not only wouldn't the staff let me play Guitar Hero on the BIG TV, but there just wasn't much to distinguish it from any other Sony Style location.

Metreon's shattered dreams [SFGate]
Metreon Official Site